Moving is the opposite of joy. Also? Cleaning your old apartment is the opposite of exciting… and then? Moving into a place that requires even more cleaning is the opposite of the orgasm. So all in all – a very unjoyful, unexciting and unoragasmic experience.
Did I mention I am 24 weeks pregnant and have a very helpful 13 month old? We packed for days - I put two items in, she takes them ALL out and pushes the box around the apartment. 24 hours before the move we had exactly zero boxes packed. So once again, everything went according to Leila’s plan.
Two years ago we moved from Ireland with a total of 10 large boxes plus suitcases. Then a small roommate moved in and magically the amount of boxes has tripled. I am putting my foot down – the second baby is not getting anything until he destroys all his sister’s stuff first.
The movers broke our bed, the PG&E forgot to turn on our electricity and Leila was so worried to miss out on any of the drama that she didn’t take a nap. And you know how some of the kids can just skip the nap and sort of go with the flow anyway… Oh no… none of that over here! THE.FLOW.WAS.DISTURBED… aka – everybody-must-die-a-slow-and-painful-death-caused-by-prolonged-bleeding-of-your-eardrums and if that didn’t work survivors-will-be-destroyed-by-multiple-wakings-during-the-night. So as any good parents we drugged her and got ourselves 4 hours of solid sleep. Just the right amount of rest to keep tripping over boxes all day, but not enough to actually unpack any. I am THIS close to just setting the rest of them on fire. Wanna come watch?
The new place is nice. Twice the size and something we could afford without selling any of our organs. The catch? Everything is really really old, squeaky and the stove actually uses a real fire… as in FLAMES… as in we-are-just-one-dinner-away-from-being-homeless. The house still smells like Indian spices and has evidence of two little boys growing up here. Seriously, anything 4 feet and below is marked with race car stickers and dinosaurs. I almost felt bad going all Mr.Clean on them…
All pain aside… we moved in. We are officially here. Now let’s hope this house can handle at least one more generation of stickers and dinosaurs.
Oooh dear I wish I could be as witty as you when I am THIS tired and streesed. BUT I CANT!!
)
YOu are good. Congrats on your new home. May you and your loved ones enjoy each and every day in the new place.
I still enjoy reading you every morning sharp at 7:00 just before my 16 month old wake up!!
Hey there! Glad to see you are still here!
xoxo
Have you started your “moving memoir” already? Different states, different countries, different conditions, with animals, without animals, without children, with children
Somehow I think that you may be enjoying it deep deep down in your subconsciousness…
In the darkest, deepest corner of my soul I enjoy even a good root canal.
Congrats on the move! Don’t worry, you’ll get it all handled. AND you’ll be nesting soon, so that’ll help get everything in just the right place
We are “planning” our move about the same month that our little girl is due to arrive. Maybe a month before, maybe a month after… So I’ll either be as big as a house, or packing with a newborn on my boob… Crazy, right? But, like you, it’ll be a bigger place, and we’ll actually be better able to afford it, so it should be worth the hassle.
Best wishes with the new home!
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Holy cow – a month before or after? I am sending you all the good vibes I have left over here. And yes! I totally forgot about the nesting
Thanks for the good vibes. Have fun nesting
Jenn´s last blog ..The Cereal Rule
Moving sucks no matter who you are…well maybe not for the rich. But you get my point. Can’t wait to see pics…especially of this stove you speak of.
Congrats on the move! Glad you’re getting settled before you new little one gets here. Moving just sucks in general. Glad you survived!
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We moved recently, and it gets better very quickly. Unpack EVERYTHING! Unpacked boxes after a few weeks are so depressing. Settle in, get comfy, and then unpack your camera . . . because I too want to see the one-step-from-homeless cooking device.
I hate moving, and looking around this place it terrifies me how much extra crap we have added going from a one bedroom place into this house. I might have to throw out as much stuff as I can today while I am baby free for a few hours, just so I can know we are that many boxes of crap fewer than we were before we make our next Target run.
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Congrats on the new move, that is exciting. I hope you get settled quickly, packing and unpacking is so NOT sexy.
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I am in the process of packing now for our move. Gunnar likes to remove things from the boxes as well, so I’m constantly distracting him with snacks. I think he’ll double in size by the time we actually finish moving. Plus! All the boxes are great barricades. Seriously, we take heavy boxes of books and push them where we don’t want him to go. Works great!
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Congrats on the new home! Moving is definitely not fun… I can’t imagine doing it with kids… it would be dreadful!
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Sorry that you didn’t get help with moving and/or with Leila! If I were at home, I hope to have been of help… coulda, woulda…
But on another note, hope you noted the move in condition so you can leave it the same way you found it!
Still another note, you’re a great writer! Are you going to be published some day? Possible that’ll help with the moving costs as well as relocation, etc.??
Connie, you are too kind. Thank you. We got a lot of offers to help – I just didn’t think it would be that bad… I was all – I CAN HANDLE IT! Next time we move I am taking you all up on your offers to help – consider yourselves warned.
Can’t wait to see the place- and I’m happy to lend a hand with the removal of dinosaur stickers. (Unless, of course, you want to just keep them and make them the new nursery’s theme?
) Also, the stove with actual fire? I’m totally jealous. Those are the best.
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I am pretty much done with stickers so feel free to start giving Leila the new ones
You crack me up.
It is so funny we’re in moving hell at the same time… although, you seem to be handling it WAY better than me. I am ready to pack my husband up in a box. I’ve been packing (stress the *I*) for six weeks and am still not done. And, my brother is our lawyer on both the buying of our new home and selling of our current home. That alone takes the patience of a…a…I don’t know, who or what has patience? Because *I* don’t!!!!!
Can’t wait to see pix of your new place!! xo
Oh Hunny! Soon as I am vertical again I’m coming over with an arsenal of WD-40, magic erasers, Febreeze, and a fire extinguisher.
I appreciate your do-it-yourself attitude, but wouldn’t you rather come over and MEET the firemen that are going to come over to save us from the burning kitchen?… I thought so.
watch for the twice the size as you may develop this urge of decorating and making every single room looks roomy and then you end up with two large UHAUL truck for the next move
and start giving EVERYTHING away to salvation army including the bed and then notice that you have nothing to sleep on. oh wait!!! that was me. you are smarter than that.
Haha, glad you are moved in despite the chaos! Wish I could’ve helped but I’ve got my own little roommate that keeps me from cleaning our own apartment. Although maybe he would’ve been able to distract Leila…but I doubt it, they’d just be pulling stuff out of boxes twice as fast!
Each time we move, a little piece of my sanity goes. My husband and I always get stressed and give each other the *evil eye.* And the children think that the moving items that we’ve already packed are new toys to open! So, I totally relate.
Sending good unpacking and cleaning thoughts your way. See? I’m such a great friend. Sending thoughts, instead of actual help.
Hugs and Mocha,
Stesha
Stay there as long as you can…moving with 2 kids is even worse! Loved reading this – congrats on your new home!
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Moving really is no fun. So, in that spirit, I hope that you have many MANY happy years in your new home!
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I was reading this out loud and Kenna, 3, is very concerned about your bed. She would like to know if the movers said sorry. I told her I would ask.
my last blog post thing isnt working (my web issue) wha but it’s: Move Over Earth Day, It’s National Jelly Bean Day!
Hehe Benedryll doesn’t work on Alexa. Hypes her up. Not that I’ve ever tried….
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